Feeding device.



H. B, GOOLEY.

FEEDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILLED 1120.26, 1908.

Patented June 6, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET. 1.

11v VENTQR.

11. B. 000L211.- FEEDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED DBO. 26, 1908.

994,376, Patented June 6, 1911.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. IN VEN TOR 2/ 1 1/6/2473, 'ofl l y,

' TORNEY.

- H.- B. OOOLEY. FEEDING DEVIGE.

APPLICATION rILBDnEq. 26, 1908.

fatented June 6,1911.

INVENTOR- TTORNEY.

' WITNESSES;

HENRY B. COOLEY, OF NEW BRITAIN,

En STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IPAPER'GOODS COMPANY, OF MON'ICLAIR, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FEEDING DEVICE. 7

Application filed December 26, 1908. Serial No. 469,249. 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. COOLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Feeding Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of machines employed for performing various operations upon sheetsof paper or like inaterial, or on articles formed more or less flat from such material, and the object of the.

invention is to improve the construction and operation of various the work done by the machine, but also to increase the general efiiciency and capacity of the machine as a Whole. 1

A further object of the invention is generally to provide a machine of this class having various novel features of advantage and utility.

One form of device in the use of which the objects sought may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1- is a view in side elevation of a portionof a machine embodying my invention, with parts partially shown in dotted outline. Fig. 2 is a view of the same looking from the top in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, the guide bars being removed. Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of the upper portion of the machine the supportingplate being omitted. Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of a portion of the device shown in Fig. 3, with parts broken away to show construction. Fig; 5 is a de-- tail view in section through parts of the ma- Y chine on plane denoted by line 5- 5 of Fig.

4, and showing'the relative position of the parts at the time of release of the suctlon.

Fig. .6 is a detail View on enlarged scale showing the manner of reception of the paper by the feed rolls. Fig. 7 is a hke v ew showing the construction of the paper gulde. Figs. '8 and 9 are detail views on enlarged scale showing the valve for cutting off the action of the pump. Fig. 10 is a detail view on enlarged scale showing the construction of the buffer plate.

The invention forming the subject .matter of this application is especially applicable in the feed of envelops to mechanism for dllng envelops,

parts of such a machine, ,and thus not only increase the accuracy of performing various operations thereon, such as printing, counting, banding, or any of the various operations performed upon articles of this class, and for this reason I have chosen such a machine for the purpose of illustrating herein my improved feed mechanlsm, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited to machines for han-' as it is equally applicable to machines for feeding sheets-of any material or articles formed more or less flat, and from, piles arranged with more or less regularity, as the case may be.

In the accompanying drawings the nu- Patented June 6, 1911.

oonivnc'rrouir, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN meral 10 indicates the end parts or. standards of the machine, composed of any suitable material and formed in any desired shape. These standards may be properly connected by cross-bars or other ties if; necessary to provide a sufficiently strong and rigid struc ture. supported by the standards and secured thereto is a driving pulley 12 or other suit-.

able device for receiving power to drive the machine. Driving gears 13 are secured to the driving shaft and arms 14 are loosely mounted upon said shaft, preferably in proximity to said gears. A cam 15 is also secured to the driving shaft, as is also a disk 16 at one end. This disk has a pin 17 upon which is pivoted a piston rod 18 projecting from a cylinder 19 pivoted at 20 to the frame of the machine. -This cylinder and the piston therein are of any suitable construction to produce a vacuum of sufiicient degree and to release the same at the proper time to properly accomplish the Work required.

A table -21-is supported upon the frame or end parts 10 thereof, this table having posts 22 arranged to retain a pile 23 of'envelops or other articles to be fed byfthe mechanism. This table is so arranged that one edge of the pile will lie in proximity to a feed device to be hereinafter described.

Idle gears 24 are mounted on the "arms 14,

meshing with the gears'13 and also with gear-s25 mounted on the arms. Slides 26 are located in the slide-ways 27 in the ends 10 and are connected with the arms 14 by links 28. The links arev preferably pivoted upon studs 29 hearing the gears 25, and the connectionwith the slides is preferably by 10 means of a hollow' shaft 30 mounted in bear- A main driving shaft :11 is suitably ings in the slides. Feed sleeves 31 are mounted upon the hollow shaft 30, to rotate independently thereof, these sleeves having gears 32 meshing with the gears 25. A feed shaft- 33 is mounted in the slides 26 and bears pinions 3st meshing with the gears 32. The feed sleeves 31 are preferably enlarged at the ends of the sleeves located nearest each other. These enlargements form feed rolls 35 that co-act with enlargements 86 constituting feed rolls on the feed shaft 38.

The hollow shaft 30 has a picker 3? located between the feed rolls 35, this picker havingports 38 communicating with the opening in the hollow shaft. This picker is preferably an enlargement formed on 01' secured to the hollow shaft, the opening 39 communicating with the cylinder as through a tube 40, the connection between the tube and cylinder being more particularly hercinaftcr described. This shaft bears a gear 41 meshing with a rack 12 on a rack plate 43 secured to the frame of the machine, the shaft, by this construction, receiving a turning reciprocating movement effected in a manner to be more particularly hereinafter described.

The mechanism thus far described is set forth by drawings and description in my patent for mechai'iism for feeding paper, dated December 31, 1907, .LTO. 874,943, and forms, of itself, no part of vention, and reference is hereby made to said prior patent for a more thorough understanding of the construction of the parts, if required.

In insuring accuracy of the feed it is important that the sheets when they are taken from the pile 23 shall move co-eXtensively with ach of the parts of the mechanism employed to move them, that is, that the grip upon the sheets shall be such that no slipping will occur between the sheet and the part or parts engaging it; it is also important that there shall be no lost motion between the several parts of the feed device. There are several locations in a feed mechanism of this kind in which such faults of operation are liable to occur, and it is the purpose of the present invention to remedy such faults, among others.

In order to enable the feed rolls 35 and 3G to certainly grip a sheet as its edge enters the throat between the rolls and without any slipping n'ioven'ient backward of the sheet or movement of the rolls forward independently of the sheet I provide means whereby an o usning occurs between the meeting faces of the rolls at the time a sheet is presented to the rolls, the edge of the sheet being projected into this opening so that when the two surfaces of the roll subsequently come into contact the edge of the sheet lies well in advance of the line of the present inand operation contact surface of the rolls. This opening may be formed in any desired manner on either or both of the rolls. In the form of construction herein shown the feed rolls 35 are cut away at their edges for a distance extending partly around the periphery forming a receiving opening 45.

It is desirable that the feedr'olls shall accurately maintain their relative positions at all times to insure smooth action. The necessary looseness required between the teeth ofthe intermeshing gears of the rolls prevents them from performing this function. The rolls themselves effectthis result for a greater part of the time as they are sup ported one against the other except at such time however that the receiving opening comes into a plane passing through the axis of both of the feed rolls. The mutual support of the rolls isat this time withdrawn and in order to properly support the rolls at such time and insure at. all times an even and regular movement collars LG-*4? are mounted on' the hollow shaft 30 and the feed shaft 33 respectively. These collars may be located in any desired manner to, effect the required result; in the form of construction herein shown the collars &6 being loosely mounted upon the hollow shaft, while the collars 47 are secured to the feed shaft. These collars are preferably of the same size as the feed rolls on the shaft to which the collars are secured. The shaft is supported in blocks t8 loosely mounted in slots 49 in the slides :26, springs 50 forcin the blocks downward, thus holding the feed rolls in yielding engagement to allow them to give to a degree depending upon the thickness of paper being fed between the rolls.

A bar 44 is secured to each of the slides 26 and this bar bears at its front edge a supporting plate. 51 rigidly secured and lying in position to encounter the bottom surface of the pile 23, as the bar is moved downward in the reciprocating movement of the slides 2(3. This plate has a buffer 52 adjustably secured thereon as by means of screws 53, this buffer being located to engage the edge of the pile .23 of sheets as the bar is moved downward. A guide 54 is secured to theback of the plate 51, this guide having a curved surface correspmiding more or less to the surface of the feed rolls so that a sheet of paper as it is drawn from the table 21 is guided between the rolls 35 and 3t} and is prevented from passing upward in front of the roll 36. An adjusting screw 55 projects through the plate, its inner end thrusting against a support 56 for the feed roll 3t). This adjusting screw employed to locate the lower edge of the plate 51 in position to properly engage the pile of sheets, the spring quality of the plate being made use of in this adjustment. The support 56 has a stem 57 passing through the bar 44, nuts 5859 located on opposite sides of the bar affording means for adjusting the position this second pairconsisting of the rolls (306l.

These rollsare located in position to take the sheets from the first pair of rolls and deliver them to machines for performing the necessary operations thereupon.

These rolls maybe connected up and driven.

from the main shaft in any desired manner. In the form of construction herein shown gears 62 on the shaft 61 mesh with the driving gears 13, the gears 62 also meshing with gears 63 secured to the upper feed roll (30, said gears being properly timed with respect to the other'feed rolls to take the sheets without pulling.

Guide bars 64, securedto the cross-bar 4-1 extend in a position to overlie the sheets of paper as they pass between the two sets of feed rolls, and lower or supporting guide bars 65 secured to a cross-piece 66 are located between the two sets of feed rolls at such distance below the guide bar 64 as to afford space for the passage of the sheets. Thesesupporting guide bars project through grooves (31 in the lower feed roll and extend a sufiicient distance beyond this second set of rolls to deliver the paper to succeeding mechanism.

The support 56 prevents the feed rolls 36 from springing under the action of 'the machine, thus keeping the two feed rolls 35 in close contact with the two rolls 36,1naintaining them in the same relative position and insuring an equal grip of said rolls the paper.

upon the different portions of the edge of Should the feed roll be allowed to spring the grip of the two rolls 35-36 uponditlercnt parts of the edge of the paperv would be uneven, thus causing an irregular feeding action and uneven feed of the paper or sheets. Another cause for uneven feed of the paper in a mechanism of this class is liable to occur by reason of a greater movement of the parts located at one side of the machine than those at thebther, such unequal movement being occasioned by a certain looseness between the iutermeshing gears, this allowing unequal movement betwcenthc two sleeves bearing the feed rolls 35. In order to a .void such a fault. the fe d shaft 33 isprovided with a pinion at each end of the shaft, these pinions each meshing with the goals 32 on the feed sleevcsiil. This constructioninsures an equal movenu-nt notonly of the sleeves and the feed rolls supported thereby with respect to each othcr,

but an equal movement of either or both of said sleeves with the feed rolls on the feed shaft so that an even feed of the paper is insured.

In order to effect a regular feed of the sheets of paper it is desirable that the feed rolls 3536 shall be stationary, so far as reciprocating movement is concerned, when the sheets of paper are being drawn from thepile. -T0 effect this result the cam 15 for causing the reciprocating movement of the slides 26'and hence of the feed rolls 3536 is so shaped that a dwell in the movement of the slides is imparted at the lower limit of their play, this dwell being of sufficient duration'to allow the several feed rolls by rotation to entirely remove a sheet of paper from This construction and OPBItltlOD' the pile. allows the picker'to performits; function solely, and when ithas performed its work upon a sheet of paper the latter is released therefrom and then the feed of the feed rolls takes place independently of the picker.

A rock shaft 68 is mounted in the end parts of the frame and has an arm 69 secured thereto and connected by a rod 70 with the cam 15. This rod is forked at its end to straddle the'r riving shaft 11, and a stud 71 secured to the rod bearsa' roller located in a cam groove in the cam. secured to the rock shaft 68 extend in position to receive links 73, these links being secured one to each of the arms 72 and pivotally connecting said arms with the slides 26.

-A general description of the operation of the machine is as follows: The various parts being inposition with the slides at the upper limit of their play, as shown in Figs. 1, and 4, the piston in the cylinder 19 begins its upward movement causing the formation of a vacuum in said cylinder, which extends through the tube to the ports 38 of the picker 37. The suction thus created through said ports draws the bottom sheet of paper down to the picker and away from the other sheets of thepile, the edge of such sheet passing under the edge of the plate 51. The slides 26, by reason of the shape of the cam, are held stationary for a brief period at this time and until aconsiderahle vacuum has been formed by the piston. The cam now causes the slides to move downward, which movement, by reason of the engagement of the gear 41 with the rack 42, causes the hollow shaft and the picker thereon to be retated a partial turn. The downward movement. of the shaft and its rotative movement, however, are so proportioned that the sheet is not disturbed in its position in the pile, its edge simply being drawn over and presented into the throat between the two feed rolls 35-36. The rotation of the two feed rolls is so timed with respect to thereciprocating movement of the slides that the receiving opening 45 is positioned ina plane passing Arms 72 also another position the relief port 86 is through the axes of the two feedingrolls at or about the time the slides finish their downward movement and the feed shaft its rotative movement to move the ports 38 upward and backward. The dwell in the reciprocating movement of the slides hereinbefore described now occurs, during which dwell the circular periphery of the two feed rolls come in contact at a point back of the edge of the sheet, so that" the movement of the sheet is immediately taken up and it is quickly drawn from the pile, there .being no slipping or lost motion as would be the case were the sheet forced into the throat between the two rollers. The circular periphery of the feed rolls is of sufficient length-to deliver the sheet to the second pair of feed rolls before the opening recess is again presented in the plane passing through the axis of 'the two shafts, the second pair of feed rolls thus continuing the movement of the sheet which otherwise would be interrupted owing to the receiving opening bein again located in the position above descri ed. As the slides move downward the plate 51 is projected between the bottom sheet of the pile and that sheet next to the bottom and the buffer 52 encounters the edge of the pile, these parts thus firmly supporting the pile while the bottom sheet is being drawn therefrom.

In order to provide a ready means for stopping the operation of the machine without actually stopping its running I have provided the following mechanism. A valve 80 is located on the frame or end part of the machine, the tube 40 extending from the hollow shaft 30 to a nipple 81 on the valve. Another tube 82 extends from a nipple 83 on the valve body to the cylinder 19. A plug 84 having a handle 85 is suitably connected with the valve and may be of the ordinary three-way valve construction, so' that when the handle is in position a communication is established between the cylinder and the hollow shaft through the tubes 40 and 82, and the operation of the piston thus efiects a suction atthe ports of the picker and causes the feed of the sheets. By turning the handle to brought into communication with the cylinder through the tube 82, thus not only cutting off the ports in the picker from the cylinder, but also relieving the load upon the cylinder which would otherwise be occasioned in its efforts to form a vacuum. The feed of the sheets may thus be quickly and readily stopped and at the same time the machine may run free without any load caused by the formation of a vacuum in the cylinder.

1. A receiver, cooperating members to re,- movo articles from the receiver, said incur bers being formed and relatively located with their surfaces in contact during part of until about the time said opening is closed by thesurface of the members coming in contact.

2. A receiver, cooperating feed rolls to remove articles from the receiver, said rolls being formed and relatively located with their peripheries in contact during part of a rotation, but having an opening occurring therebetween at intervals during rotation,

means for operating the rolls, and means connected torotate with one of said rolls cle in the receiver to draw it into said opening and to retain said hold until about the time said opening is closed by the surface of the rolls coming in contact.

3. A receiver, cooperating feed rolls for removing articles from the receiver, said rolls being shaped and relatively located to form and close an opening therebetween by the rotation of a roll, means for rotating one of said rolls, and means rigidly connected to move with one of said rolls and arranged to exert'a hold upon an article to draw it into said opening and to retain said hold until about the time,said opening is closed by the surface of the members coming in contact.

4. A. receiver, cooperating members to remove articles from the receiver, said members having contact surfaces cut away to create and close an opening during movement, means for moving said members, a picker moving in the same direction and at. the same rate as one of said members, said picker being arranged to exert a hold upon an article to draw it into said opening and to retain saidhold until about the time said opening is closed by the surface of the members coming in contact.

5. A receiver, cooperating members to remove articles from the receiver, said members having contact surfaces, a cut-away portion in said surfaces forming and closing an opening during movement of one of said members, means for moving said members, a picker rigidly connected to move with one of said members, and arranged to maintain contact with an article until about the time said opening closes, a pneumatic apparatus connected to produce a suction at the picker and means for operating the picker.

6. A receiver, feed rolls located adjacent to the receiver, a cutaway portion in a pcriphery of one of said rolls creating and closing an opening during rotation, means for rotating one of said rolls, a picker mounted to turn in cooperative r lili10j-1 with s: id

" and arranged to exert a hold upon an artiroll, and means for turning the picker to draw an article into said opening and to retain its hold upon said article until about the time said opening closes in the rotation of the rolls.

7. A receiver, a picker shaft, rolls cooperatively located with respect to the receiver and including sleeves mounted upon the picker shaft, said rolls having a cutaway portion in the peripheryithereof creating and closing an opening during rotation,

means for operating the picker shaft to draw an article into said opening, and means for operating the rolls.

8. A receiver, a picker shaft, a picker mounted on the shaft, a connection between said shaft and a pneumatic apparatus, feed rolls including sleeves mounted upon said shaft on opposite sides of the picker, said rolls having cutaway surfaces in the peripheries thereof creating and closing an opening during rotation, means for operating the rolls, and means for operating the picker to draw an article into said opening.

9. A receiver, cooperating members to remove artieles therefrom, said members being shaped and relatively located to create and close an opening therebetween by a movement of one of said members and one ofsaid members being supported by the other member and held in yielding contact therewith, means for holding the surfaces of the members spaced apart in fixed relation during the presence of said opening, means for operating one of said members, and means for presenting an article from the receiver to said members.

10. A receiver, feed rolls to remove articles from the receiver,said rolls beingshaped and relativelylocatedto create and close an opening therebetween during rotation of one of said rolls, means for rotating one of said rolls, a bearing for one of said rolls mounted to vary its position with respect to the other roll, said rolls being supported o ne by the other, means for holding the rolls spaced apart in fixed relation during the presence of said opening, and means for presenting an article from the receiver to said rolls.

11. A receiver, feed rolls to remove articles from the receiver, said rolls being shaped and relatively located to create and close an opening therebetween during rotation of one of said rolls, means for rotating'one of said rolls, a bearing for one of said rolls being mounted to vary the position of said roll with respect to the other roll, enlargements upon said rolls to limit the movement of one roll toward the other during the presence of said opening, and means for presenting an article from the receiver to said rolls.

12. A receiver, cooperating members to remove articles from the receiver, said members being formed and relatively located to create and close an opening therebetween during movement of one of said members, means for impartmg said movement, means for imparting a reciprocating movement to saidmembers and for causing a dwell in said reciprocating movement, and means for p rojecting an article into said opening during said dwell.

' 13. A receiver, cooperating members to remove articles from the receiver, said members being formed and relatively located to create and close an opening therebetween during movement of one of said members, means for imparting said movement, a cam formed to impart a reciprocating movement to said members and to cause a dwell during said movement, connections between said cam and said members, and means for prodwell in said reciprocating movement, and

means for projecting an article into said opening during said dwell.

15. A receiver, a picker shaft, a picker located on said shaft, means for operating the "picker, sleeves constituting feed rolls mounted on opposite sides of the picker, cooperating feed rolls, said rolls being formed and relatively located to create and close an opening during rotation of one of said rolls, means for rotating one of said rolls, means for imparting a reciprocating movement tosaid picker shaft and said rolls, and

means forprojecting'an article from the receiver into said opening.

16. A receiver, slides mounted to have a reciprocating movement, means for operating the slides,apacker shaft mounted'in the slides, a picker mounted on said shaft, means for operating the picker, sleeves forming feed rolls mounted on said picker, cooperating feed rolls borne by the slides, said rolls being formed and relatively located to create and close an opening during rotation of one of said rolls, means for rotating one of said rolls, and means for projecting an article from the receiver into said opening.

17. A receiver, "cooperating members to remove articles therefrom, said members being shaped and relatively located to create and close an opening therebetvveen by movement of one of said members, means for moving one of said members, means moving in unison with one of said members and arranged to exert a hold upon an article to draw it into said opening and to retain said hold until about the time said opening is closed by the surface of the members coming in contact, and means for conducting an article from said members.

18. A receiver, feed rolls to remove an article from said receiver, said rolls being formed and relatively located to create and close an opening during rotation of one of said rolls, means for rotating one of said rolls, means moving in unison with the surface of one of said rolls and arranged to exert a hold upon an article to draw it into said opening and to retain said hold until about the time said opening is closed by the surface of the members coming in contact, and means for conducting an article from said feed rolls.

19. A receiver, a pair of members having gripping surfaces to grip an article between them and draw it from the receiver, one of said members having a cutaway portion to create and close an opening between said members during movement thereof, a picker mounted with its working end to move at the same rate and in a path parallel to that of a gripping surface, means for operating the members, and means for operating the picker.

20. A receiver, a pair of feed rolls mounted to grip an article between them and draw it from the receiver, one of said rolls having a cutaway portion to create and close an openingbetween the ro s in the rotation thereof, a picker IllOllIlt6( to turn on the same axis as one of said rolls, means for operating the picker, and means for rotating said rolls.

21. A receiver, cooperating members to retnove articles from the recelver, said members being formed and relatively located to create and close an opening therebetween during movement of either of said members, means for imparting said movement, means for simultaneously imparting a reciprocating movement to said, members, and means .for projecting an article into said opening.

22. The combination with a support for a pile of sheets, of aisuction roll oscillating beneath the pile, feed rolls mounted on the suction roll and having cutaway portions to receive the bottom sho t of the pile, a cooperating feed roll, means for operating the feed rolls, and means for oscillating the suction roll.

23. The combination with a support for a pile of sheets, of a suction roll oscillating beneath the pile, feed rolls mounted on the suction roll and having cutaway portions on their peripheries to create and close an opening to receive the bottom sheet of the pile, a cooperating feed roll, a collar on the feed roll shaft to properly support said feed rolls when their peripheries are not in contact, means for oscillating the suction roll, and means for operating the feed rolls.

' 24. The comblnation with a support for a pile of sheets, of a suction roll oscillating beneath the pile, feed rolls mounted on the suction roll and having cutaway portion in" their peripheries to create and close an opening to receive the bottom sheet of the pile, a cooperating feed roll, a shaft therefor, collars on said shaft to propcrly support said feed rolls when their peripheries are not in contact, means for operating the suction roll to draw the bottom sheet into said opening to be gripped by the feed rolls, and means for operating the feed rolls.

HENRY B. COOLEY. Witnesses:

H. H. HAYWOOD, R. W. FISHBURN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

